~ Poets Pub

OpenLinkNight — Week 44

Welcome to Open Link Night!! You may not remember me. I’m Joe Hesch and I’ll be your jet-lagged bartender tonight.

For whatever reason, I have been a poor colleague for the past handful of Open Link Nights. Lots of reasons, none of them particularly sexy. I’m not on the poetic wagon or anything. But each week I felt guilty as hell for not visiting all of you lovely folks, the rookie and experienced, old friend and first-time linker. For that, I most sincerely apologize.

But here’s a lesson in what may happen, if you wish to really rub elbows with some of the brave and shy poets here at the Pub–you make connections. I know, that sounds so much like “hooking up,” a phrase this geezer can’t get used to.

I mean connections in an artistic and maybe even business sense, which can be a big deal if you plan on taking your work to a next level, as so many here have.

If you want to, and you’re really, really lucky, you make friends here beyond the name under the title of a poem or attached to a comment. The avatar on a site becomes a flesh-and-blood smiling face and a person that extends a welcoming hand, gives you a real live squishy hug, or kisses your cheek.

That’s what just happened to me. Yesterday, I returned from meeting in London (the one with the big clock) with six of eight poet friends with whom I am assembling an anthology for publication. You’ll recognize most if not all of them, the poet members of the Grass Roots Poetry Group (GRPG).

Okay, lot’s of personal stuff for an Open Link Night intro. But the message is that’s the power of artistic fellowship and collegiality (most-powerfully espoused by my lovely friend Natasha Head) available around the Pub. And if you wish to sit alone and comment or not, that’s cool, too. We serve all who enter these virtual doors. And we listen, too…

This opens a new screen where you’ll enter your information, and where you also choose links to read. Once you have pasted your poem’s blog URL and entered your name, click Submit. Don’t worry if you don’t see your name right away.

Don’t forget to let your readers know where you’re linking up and encourage them to participate by including a link to dVerse in your blog post.

Visit as many other poems as you like or can, commenting as you like or can, as well.

Spread the word on the poems you enjoy if you’d like. Feel free to tweet and share on the social media of your choice.

After last week, Joy left the place spotless. Let’s mess it up with a bacchanalian binge of verse. I have some making up to do so clean-up will will be suitable penance.

Wow, happy I survived the mad rush to make it into the pub tonight! Looks like it’s going to be a busy, busy place. Thanks so much for hosting tonight, Joseph. I’ll have something fruity and potent with an umbrella sticking out the top, please 😀

Glad to have you hosting, jet-lag and all! How exciting for you to meet face to face with many of the talented writers that we have the joy of reading each week. Lucky you!! Am sure your travels will spark some wonderful new stories to share. Welcome back, Joe.

afternoon Joe…Single Barrel Jack-neat…can’t stay long…did a 15 hour shift floating on the deep blue and I am twisted up cause I left my camera home and we saw anoarfish yesterday….quite rare and seldom seen alive ….in that mode “thanks, Joe” *leaves 3 on the bar* I wrote of an early moment I had with photography…….It lingers

as for your intro, you’ve been great man….I can say I have yet to meet any of my fellow writers here, but I speak with Brian every now and then and Luke, Claudia, Christi…well many others are to me, family in the poetic and heartfelt sense

enough chatter *knocks back the short* I’ll go and thank you for the space and time

ok…short version…19 y.o me- Lake Ponchartrain-New Orleans-Olympus OM-1(55-250mm) dead guy bouncing off of the jetty rocks—pulled him on to gravel edge of Lake——-gawkers gawking, lookers looking and me…..a shooter….so I did what I do…….I shot him

I totally understand, Victoria. Sometimes those interruptions are too real. Other times, they are spectres with the impact of reality. Either way, we are brought up short by them. So, so, so wonderful to see you!! 🙂 xox

So your that guy they’re always yelling at when somebody hits a golf ball; You da man!
Glad to participate again this week! My entry was inspired by one of the many great poets here at the pub. Happens a lot; that’s why I hang around this talented bunch!

Actually, I prefer to listen to the birdies on the course. Since I don’t play anymore, those would be robins and cardinals. There were fewer birdies of the other variety when I did play. Great to see you, Charles!

Hi Joseph! I’ve entered and will come back for a sip of something and many reads…think 95 so far. I’m happy with my entry. I aspire to a certain type poem, someday maybe I’ll reach that goal.Thanks for having me 😉

Glad to see you behind the bar, Joe–and thanks for the tale of friendship and for highlighting how we are all flesh and blood humans–really!–behind these monitors and apps and pads and whatnot, and whether we meet or not, we form a connection through our words that is as real as any other. Glad you had a chance to travel across the pond to the UK, where so many great poets were born.

And Yeesh! I linked in 22 minutes after the doors flew open and I am number 77. Maybe tonight will be the night we crack two hundred. Either way I know there will always be more good poetry here the mind can wrap itself around.

It’s a wonder, Joy!! A pure wonder to actually meet and touch such friends we make. And for a guy like me who has never been beyond the boundaries of my ears, it was and will continue to be a miracle. A blessed miracle beyond even the finding of a poem on my notebook page.

Shared again my latest verse ‘How To Save A Drop Of Love…’ and Haiku… hope you like it. This time I am allocating some time to read all that is here… which I was not able to do last week, though I could submit mine after almost a month or more…

Look forward to reading you all…

@ Joe Hesch

Hey friend… This Grass Roots Poetry Group (GRPG) looks very interesting. Wish it was happening when I was in London (the one with the big clock) few years ago for a little time… let me know if its not all about meeting in person. Such an amazing collection of friends, most of whom I was able to recognize for their wonderful work … I was exposed through dVerse Poetry Club as well as OSP… good going. Congratulations.

Hiya Joe et all,
Wow, I feel almost infamous! Being one of those fortunate few that got to meet you in London (the one with the big clock!) ~ It was a great day, one that has created forever memories 🙂

Tonight I have linked up my latest poem that also happens to be a present for the lovely @LouiseJHastings ~ hope people enjoy it.

Hiya Joe,
I’m impressed you went to the palace.
Even when I lived just a stone’s throw away, I never made it. But then ..I went to the White House 🙂
Hope you managed to hit the four hours of sunshine we had over the past two months.

Thank you Joe, for mentioning me in your travels…I certainly missed being with you all…but , of course, was there in spirit. And I thank you for all you’ve done for your poet colleagues in dVerse…for your efforts and welcome to us all. My gratitude 🙂

Happy Tuesday folks!
Looks like my blog link has been grumbling..I comment but those who click on my name are unable to reach my blog!
Such an unfair world!
I am completely untrained with the HTML codes etc..so if anyone of you knows all that jazz except poetry, please do help me find the cause and the solution too! 🙂
That’s too much too ask but then, what are friends for, right?

Thanks Joe for tending the bar tonight and opening up the week’s festivities. Wish I’d been in London too. I always wish I were in London, New York or Paris. They all have holds in my heart and my imagination. Each time I leave I pray there’s time enough to find my way back but I keep each image, sound and visit close just in case there are not to be any more.

Hi, Gay!!!! Meeting my friends was the big deal. It could have happened in Rouses Point, NY for all I cared. But staying in England and enjoying its people and culture, as well as the brilliant companionship of my lovely hostess, those were experiences I will treasure forever. And another forever after that.

Pant, pant! Gosh sorry I’m late but been reading poetry in a real pub tonight! Really cool fun (we have an arts festival thingy on in town). But still need my shot at the proper Poets Pub …. so my entry is logged on 🙂 Will look forward to trawling through the 100 plus offerings over the next 24 hours

Oh, I can see the lines at the bar and the bathroom!! This pub is arockin’ tonight!!! Thanks for your gracious bar-tending tonight, Joe Hesch, I’ll have a sparkling cranberry on the rocks, please!! :)’s to everyone!

A little late to the party. Can’t ever seem to get my party on the right schedule with all of you. Thank you Joseph for hosting. When I get back in later tonight I’ll get some reading in. Threw in something a lil different this week. Be kool.

Ha ha! Thank you for fishing me out here. Now I need him to do it on his blog. 😉 This is driving me crazy. I suppose I shouldn’t have changed my e-mail address; it’s made everything flip catawampus and sideways.